Saturday, November 14, 2015

Paul Ryan channels Dean Martin




As quoted in Paul Ryan expects protracted, unpredictable GOP race.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/12/2015)

Related post:
A man with a plan in the wings.  (10/29/2015)

Scott Walker telegraphs that Wisconsin DNR will likely ignore UW, USDA and other findings


The research has been done, and the consequences have been explained.

Unfortunately, the news doesn't fit into Scott Walker's 'Open for Business' plan.


Walker On Drinking Water Reports: 'We Take Them Seriously'.  (Wisconsin Public Radio, 11/13/2015)
An environmental group recently petitioned the federal Environmental Protection Agency to pressure the Wisconsin DNR to resolve more concerns the EPA spelled out years ago about the state's administration of the Clean Water Act.
What Walker campaigned on as a Presidential candidate.  ('Seriously' is not in Walker's vocabulary when it comes to environmental issues.)

The EPA has accused Walker's administration of failing to adequately protect air and water quality since 2011, when he became governor.  [emphasis added]
Population of Kewaunee County

  • 20,000 people
  • 100,000 cows (highest concentration per acre in WI)

The county is home to 173 dairy farm and 16 CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operation)

Related links:
Something's in the water in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.  (Aljazeera, 11/13/2015)
Cochart first noticed there was something wrong with her water in 2010 when she was inexplicably getting sick, and subsequent tests over the next four years confirmed that her well was contaminated. And she wasn’t alone — there has never been a comprehensive survey done, but one-third of the Kewaunee County drinking water wells voluntarily tested by the University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture, or other organizations have contaminates such as nitrates and coliform bacteria. [emphasis added]

CAFO Regultions.  (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Trump tanks, Carson, Rubio and Cruz rise in latest Florida poll



The behinders in the 11/11 Florida Times-Union poll:
  • 5% - Carly Fiorina
  • 3% - John Kasich, Chris Christie
  • 1% - Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul
  • 0% - Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki
Other stuff:
  • Demographics of poll
    • Race
      • 90% white
      • 8% - Hispanic/Latino
      • 1% - African-American
    • Age
      • 42% - 65+
      • 40% - 45-64

Recent state polls:
Trump, Cruz on upswing; Carson, Bush on downslide in latest Texas Republican primary poll.  (11/12/2015)
As the polls churn in Arizona: Trump and Fiorina = big losers; Carson and Rubio = big winners.  (11/11/2015)
New Jersey Republicans to Chris Christie and Jeb Bush about that run for the Presidency: FUGGEDABOUTIT.  (11/11/2015)
In his home state of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham has the highest unfavorable rating of all Republican candidates.  (11/10/2015)

We've only just begun: McDonald's tries to allay investors' fears over slump in earnings


Photo credit:  McDonald's

Put these recent headlines out of your mind.





Easterbrook sounds like a 'so-much-of-life-ahead' kinda guy. 



Related posts:
Apparently, Chipotle, not McDonald's, is our kind of place.  (4/26/2015)
Headline News: I don't think this is what McDonald's intended with their "whole new way to love" slogan.  (4/18/2015)
Tipping your dog walker on $8.00 an hour.  (12/6/2013)
Maybe that salad isn't such a good idea.  (9/27/2013)
McDonald's muscles its way to the front door of the Hawthorne Branch Library.  (7/21/2011)
McDonald's to offer free wi-fi.  (12/16/2009)

Trump rants, describes to a Fort Dodge Iowa audience what a fool believes


Photo credit:  Gage Skidmore via Wikipedia

As quoted in Donald Trump begs Iowans not to believe Ben Carson: ‘Don’t be fools, okay?’  (Washington Post, 11/13/2015)


Donald Trump probably thinks he's that one wise man.

It's been 18 years since Michael Bolton's last gold album, 23 years since his last #1. Hello Pizza Hut!




Pizza Hut's Holiday Gift: Michael Bolton Under the Mistletoe.  (Advertising Age, 11/12/2015)

The lowdown (bullet points added)
The holiday-themed pizza push makes sense as some of the biggest pizza ordering days hit during the winter. According to industry group American Pizza Community, the busiest days for U.S. pizza orders are 
  • Super Bowl Sunday, 
  • New Year's Eve, 
  • Halloween, 
  • the night before Thanksgiving and 
  • New Year's Day. 
Plus, Pizza Hut has seen flat sales trends this year through early September.

This GOP offer might inspire more than a few Gunther Toody reactions



Right now I'm not in the mood to click on the red rectangle.  I'm sure I'll be asked to reach for my wallet.  And if I don't, I'll hear from Cara and Sean again.



Regular Sunday evening viewing when I was in 6th and 7th grades.



Seriously? Parking the sheriff's squad car is in a Captain's job description?


I suppose it falls under the heading of "Other duties as assigned".  
(I think I know which one Donald O'Connor would opt for.)

Photo credit:  Office of the Sheriff

As reported in Sheriff David Clarke pays $235 after parking in spot for disabled.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/11/2015)

There are 12 Captains on the staff of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.

Related posts:
Rebecca Bradley and the company she keeps (The David Clarke edition).  (11/8/2015)

UPDATE: What happens when you run your university like a business? (The Missouri edition)


Timothy Wolfe should never have been president of the University of Missouri. He was a computer-company executive with no advanced degrees or experience in academic administration. Like so many other unrepresentative, politically appointed boards, Missouri’s Board of Curators chose a private-sector manager to run a public university. Wolfe had virtually no experience with students or scholars. 

Items on Wolfe's initial agenda:
  1. Shut down the University of Missouri Press (savings:  $400,000)
  2. Announce phase 1 of $200+ million upgrade to the university's sport facilities

Original post begins here


Wolfe resigns as President of UM system.  (Columbia Daily Journal, 11/9/2015)
Wolfe had been under intense scrutiny and criticism since he refused to address protesters who blocked his car at the Homecoming Parade in October. Some Concerned Student 1950 members said they allowed Wolfe’s car to hit them as the driver attempted to get around the roadblock “to ensure we were heard.” Wolfe issued a statement Friday apologizing for not getting out of the car and engaging with protesters. He also acknowledged that systematic oppression exists on campus.

Not his first misstep.

Missouri Rewrites Plot, Rehiring Editor in Chief of the University Press.  (The New York Times, 10/5/2012)

Let's not talk, President Wolfe initially said.
Mr. Wolfe conceded missteps had been made early in the process of deciding what to do about the press. “ 
There’s more people that should have been brought into this conversation,” he said, like authors, other university publishers and the staff of the Missouri press.

Dear Glenn Reynolds, The evidence suggests people of all ages aren't up to the task of voting


Photo credit:  University of Tennessee

As quoted in Glenn Reynolds: After Yale, Mizzou, raise the voting age — to 25.  (USA Today, 11/12/2015)


Some of the numbers:
  • 36% can name all 3 branches of government
  • 35% cannot name a single branch of government
  • 27% know it takes 2/3s vote in Senate and House to override Presidential veto
  • 44% did not know which party controls the House (pre-2014 election)
  • 42% did not know which party controls the Senate (pre-2014 election)


From 2008.  (It's not a rhetorical question.)


Some of the historical numbers:
  • About 1 in 4 Americans can name more than one of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition for redress of grievances.)
  • In 1991, Americans were asked how long the term of a United States senator is. Just 25% correctly answered six years.
  • How many senators are there? A poll a few years ago found that only 20% know that there are 100 senators,



Agree with Mama Cass?

If so, you might want to consider this evidence.  (I'm still looking for comparable baby-boomer and gen-Xer polls.)

Yes, once we get past our 25th birthday, it's adult conversations 24/7.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Trump, Cruz on upswing; Carson, Bush on downslide in latest Texas Republican primary poll




The behinders in the 10/30-11/8 UT/Texas Tribune poll:
  • 4% - Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul (Jeb appears on graph for headline purposes only)
  • 2% - Mike Huckabee
  • 1% - Chris Chris, John Kasich, Rick Santorum
  • 0% - (next-door neighbor) Bobby Jindal, George Pataki
Other stuff
  • Opinions about Ted Cruz have changed very little since 2013; his current 'very favorable' rating (25%) is down 4 points from its June 2014 peak.
  • 22% of respondents lean liberal to one degree or another; 49% of respondents lean conservative. 

Recent state polls:
As the polls churn in Arizona: Trump and Fiorina = big losers; Carson and Rubio = big winners.  (11/11/2015)
New Jersey Republicans to Chris Christie and Jeb Bush about that run for the Presidency: FUGGEDABOUTIT.  (11/11/2015)
In his home state of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham has the highest unfavorable rating of all Republican candidates.  (11/10/2015)

Going to Kentucky next summer? Put the Creation Museum AND Noah's Ark on your travel itinerary!




Kentucky's Noah's Ark religious attraction to open next summer.  (boingboing, 11/12/2015)

The wooden ark measures 510 feet long and will cost $90,000,000.

Ark Encounter, Williamstown, Kentucky.
Creation Museum, Petersburg, Kentucky.

Just 49.2 miles, 51 minutes apart!!


Charles Franklin (1937-2015) Warren High School Class of 1956



1956 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory (county section)
  • Franklin Charles E 815 Yankee Bush rd
  • Franklin Louise M 755 Yankee Bush rd
  • Franklin Marlene Y 814 Yankee Bush rd
  • Franklin Willard E 755 Yankee Bush rd
1983 Warren City Directory (county section)
  • Franklin Charles E r750 Keller Rd Warren (Conewango)
  • Franklin Marlene Y r750 Keller Rd Warren (Conewango)
  • Franklin Willard r1 Cramery Rd (Conewango)

Perhaps not a physical change of address.

The popularity of Charles as a baby name is graphed here.

From a big-picture perspective, 'Willard' and 'Louise' followed a similar path from popularity to oblivion.


Other members of the class of '56:
Susan Brown Clark.  (11/1/2015)
John Harrington. (10/13/2015)
Carol Schwitzer.  (10/7/2015)
John Smith.  (9/12/2015)
Donald Burgeson.  (3/9/2015)
Diane McChesney Kondak.  (2/15/2015)

Not all drone excursions end up with pretty pictures. Just ask Seattle.


This one in 2014 did.



This one, which took place just the other day -- not so much.

Drone collides with Seattle Ferris Wheel, busts through plastic table.  (Ars Technica, 11/11/2015)
"There were no injuries. There was no damage to the wheel. We don’t know who owned the drone or who operated it. We collected it and have put the recovered drone into evidence." 
The police spokesman noted that absent a witness or errant pilot coming forward, it will be nearly impossible to ascertain who that person is.

Other drone posts:
Drones could put a big hole in one of Scott Walker's "Reforming Government" budget proposal.  (4/26/2015)\
Consumers Reports asks, "Will this drone replace the selfie stick?"  (1/10/2015)

Here's something George Will and I can agree on


The opening sentence of his latest opinion piece, Bill O'Reilly makes a mess of history, in the Washington Post.

Photo credit:  Twitter

O'Reilly tweets


and writes about it without mentioning George Will by name.


Together now: The Beatles and Kohl's (2015 holiday ads)




Kohl's Taps the Beatles for Multi-Generational Holiday Spots.  (Advertising Age, 11/11/2015)
The department store will broadcast a series of spots told from the point of view of various members of one multi-generational family tree, set to The Beatles tune of the same name. One spot depicts a man dressing up as Santa; another shows a Star Wars-loving boy waking up to a Storm Trooper at the tree on Christmas morning.

Related reading:
Nike & the Beatles, 1987-1989.  (The Pop History Dig)
5 Controversial Examples of The Beatles in Advertising: Nike, Pizza Hut and Allstate Draw Ire of Fab Four Fans.  (3/1/2015)

Last night's debate winner appears to be undecided, but today's loser is your wallet


From my 'personalized' email message from Reince Priebus.





Thomas Gerarde (1940-2015) Warren High School Class of 1958



1958 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory
  • City:  Gerarde Marie A Mrs clk sten State Dept of Revenue r Roosevelt hwy (Tiona)
  • County:  
    • Gerarde Marie 14 Tiona
    • Gerarde Thos J 14 Tiona
1983 Warren City Directory (county section)
  • Gerarde Marie rBx 217 Tiona
  • Gerarde Thomas J rBx 217 Tiona
'Thomas' has never been far from the top.


Other class of 1958 members.
John "Jack" Suppa.  (10/10/2015)
Susan Mead Mastrangiola.  (8/6/2015)
Barbara Baldensperger.  (6/21/2015)
Dennis Morell (3/8/2015)
Joyce Black Wohlers.  (3/16/2014)
Susan Leonard Anderson.  (3/15/2014)
Doris Musante.  (1/9/2014)

Soup is not on so much anymore: Campbell's CEO acknowledges shrinking middle class



Campbell Rethinks Its Recipe as Consumer Tastes Change.  (The New York Times, 11/9/2015)

That's not all she acknowledges.
“There are 80 million millennials now, and they’re shopping and thinking differently about food and in a way that is influential,” she said. She said changes in the family are also challenging food companies.  
“Families now are multicultural, multigenerational, single-parent, same-sex, mixed and traditional,” Ms. Morrison said.

And, yes, the AFA (American Family Association) and their One Million Moms project are offended.  Very offended.

Here's the commercial that set them off.